Berkley's Birth Story

During my time in the hospital, we were always unsure when I was going to actually have her. I just knew that I would have to have a C-section due to placenta previa. At 32 weeks, I got shots to make her lungs develop faster, because we wanted to be cautious since chances were she was going to come much earlier than we wanted her to.

We hadn't totally decided on a name, so we felt a little rushed since she could come anytime! We narrowed it down to Berkley, Reagan, or Holland (we're both Dutch so we thought it was cute and fitting for us).

As my doctor would come visit me every few days while I was in the hospital, he kept giving me the option to either just keep waiting it out or choose to get an amnio as early as 36 weeks and if her lungs were developed then I could choose to have a c-section right then. I had a really hard time deciding and kept going back and forth. I wanted to make the right decision, because I would feel awful if she had to be in the NICU or had any serious complications. I was always told that every day they grow so much in the womb and I didn't want to take her out early if it was best not to. I'd ask my doctor, "If I was your daughter, what would you tell me to do?" and he'd just always say that there is no wrong decision. 

On one hand, I didn't want to take her out early because she needed that time to grow and develop. On the other hand, I didn't want to start hemorhagging and have it be an emergency and have my doctor have to race to the hospital. I wanted it to be a controlled situation and a planned c-section. I just felt so much calmer about that decision and I just prayed that she will be healthy despite being 4 weeks early! 

So at exactly 36 weeks, I got the amnio (which I was so terrified about! Um, a HUGE needle going deep into my belly and into my uterus and possibly puncturing my baby?! Scary). It was pretty crazy, though, to watch on the ultra sound my doctor putting the needle in and see the needle and the baby on the screen guiding him so he doesn't poke her! The results came back 6 hours later showing her lungs were developed so the c-section was a go! The c-section was scheduled for the next day at 5pm. 

Right before the C-section and being pretty nervous!

Before I got wheeled into the OR, I asked if they could wheel me to a room with a scale so I could know how much I weighed before I had her. Haha, is that weird? I hadn't weighed myself in like 4 weeks so I wanted to know! 

The c-section was so strange. Jeff recorded the whole thing and I just kept saying, "This is so weird."  I just felt numb and my body was being yanked side to side so roughly and I couldn't feel anything by pressure. 

Berkley Elizabeth Giles

Born 5:21 pm

5 lbs 15 oz

17.5 inches long 

and BEAUTIFUL.

The second Dr. Bohman threw her over the sheet so I could see her, I said to Jeff, "She looks just like you!" 

Jeff went back to the NICU to get her shots and measure her while they stitched me up and wheeled me back to my room to recover. He had sent this picture out to friends and family with her measurements  and my sister-in-law had texted and told me how beautiful she is and told me how much she weighed. It was funny because I didn't even know what her measurements were yet! 

Berkley was healthy and was able to come home with us! She was a little jaundice, but we just wrapped the light up with her in a blanket for an hour or two and she was fine.

Proud Grandpa, Uncle & Dad!

Of course the Pixley's came to see us! This is Trevin :)

Documenting Jeff's FIRST diaper change EVER.

Believe it or not, this is the only family picture we have in the hospital! And it's a selfie right before we went home haha.

She was just about the tiniest thing I could have imagined. She dropped down to 5 lb 9 oz while we were there. I look at newborn size clothes now and can't believe my little girl wore that size for almost 2 months! I already forget how small she used to be.

We had so many friends and family come to the hospital to see her before we were discharged and we  barely took any photos! I think I was just in so much pain from the C-section and so over being there that we (at least I) didn't think to take pictures. She was born on Tuesday and we finally left Saturday!! It was the best feeling in the world to come home!!! It had been almost a month since I had been back home. And we went straight from the hospital to Cafe Rio for some take out and then went The house was spotless and my mom had put a cute It's a Girl balloon on the front porch.

Berkley coming to us safely and being healthy was such a blessing for us. She's the sweetest little thing and we love her beyond words.